Type-writing machine.



No. 664,500. Patented Dec. 25, I900.

.1. B. PRICE.

TYP E WRITING MACHINE.

(Application filed Aug. 10, 1899 (No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN B. PRICE, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE MANHATTAN TYPEWRITER COMPANY, OF NEW JERSEY.

TYPE-WRITING MACHlN E.

SPECIFICATION forming art of Letters Patent No. 664,500, dated December 25, 1960.

Application filed August 10, 1899. Serial No. 726,773. (No model.)

To a. whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN B. PRICE, of Newark, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented an Improvement in Type- Writing Machines, (Case 13,) of which the following description, in connection with the ac companying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

The present invention relates to a typewriting machine, and is embodied in novel means for laterally shifting the printing-ribbon, so that a larger amount of the surface of the ribbon may be utilized in the printing :5 operation. It is already the custom in typewriting machines of this kind to shift the rib bon laterally, the ribbon-spools being laterally movable along suitable bearings and controlled by a sliding frame capable of moving the spools a certain distance in either direction along the said bearing. In some cases the frames are under the manual control of the operator, so that the shifting of the ribbon is left entirely to individual judgment, 2 5 and certain automatic devices have also been devised, so that the ribbon is sure to be shifted from time to time. These automatic devices, however, have depended either upon the operation of-reversing the ribbon-feed or upon the operation'of the universal bail, the result being that in the former case the printing all comes on a single line during the whole run of the ribbon from end to end, while in the latter case the printing is on a symmetrical. 3 5 zigzag line from one side of the ribbon to the other, while in any case a considerable portion of the ribbon is used up, while other portions are not used at all.

It is the principal object of the present ino vention to keep shifting the ribbon from time to time, but at irregular intervals, so that there is no regularity in the lateral movement of the ribbon, the result being that the whole surface of the ribbon is more uniformly 5 used. To this end the ribbon-shifting frame is arranged to be moved a short distance in response to the movement of one only of the keyboard-levers, the movement of the said lever obviously occurring at irregular intervals, owing to the difference in the number of letters in difierent words.

The invention further relates, however, to a novel construction and arrangement of the operating devices themselves, the said operating devices being capable of being connected with parts other than the space-bar; onlythe universal bail, for example.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a suflicient portion of a type-writing machine to illus trate the invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional detail seen from the opposite side'from that shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 a sectional detail on a plane transverse to the plane of Fig. 2 looking toward the right.

The ribbon-spool A is suitably mounted on the bearing-shaft B, having the feed-gear B the spool being commonly splined on the said bearing, the spline construction, however, not being illustrated, since it is the same as thatv of the ordinary Remington machine. To produce the lateral movement of the spool A, said spool is controlled by a sliding frame 0, connected with a lever D, mounted on a rockshaft E, Figs. 2 and 3, which extends across the frame of the machine for the purpose of supporting the arm for the other ribbonspool. (Not hereinshown.) As herein shown, the rock-shaft E is arranged to be oscillated in response to the movement of one only of r the keyboard-levers, the space-bar lever belog preferably employed, so that the ribbonspools will be moved laterallya slight extent each time the SpflCGkbFl-I is operated, the complete movement, of course being back and forth, so that the ribbon is shifted from side to side. As herein shown, the rock-shaft E is under the immediate control of an actuating-wheel a, which is arranged to oscillate a lever-arm I), connected with and projecting laterally from the said rock-shaft, the said arm I) having a slot 12 through which projects a wrist-pin a secured to the wheel a. The continuous rotation of the said wheel a in the same direction, therefore, will produce an oscillation of the arm I), which is trans- 5 mitted through the arms D to the spoolframes, so that in the rotation of the said wheel the said spool-frames will be carried laterally back and forth. In order that this reciprocating movement of the spool-frames I00 may be divided up so that the ribbon will be moved intermittingly a little at a time in either direction, the wheel a is arranged to be rotated a short distance only each time the space-bar is operated and to remain stationary at all other times. As herein shown, the said wheel is provided with ratchet-teeth a adapted to be engaged by a pawl c, pivoted to a projection c from a rocker supported coaxially with the wheel a and having a pro jection 0 connected by a link or strap 0 with the space-bar lever F, which is of the usual construction. Each time the space-bar F is depressed, therefore, the pawl c will engage the teeth a and cause a partial rotation of the wheel a, carrying the arm I) a short distance in one direction or the other. The space-bar lever is employed as an actuator in preference to any of the other keyboardlevers for the reason that it averages the same number of movements in each line, although said movements in ordinary writing are at irregular intervals.

The awl c is shown as provided with a weight to keep it in engagement with the teeth a and a rearward movement of the wheel a is prevented by a retaining-pawl 01, shown as pivoted on the frame of the machine. The said retaining-pawl may be kept in engagement with the teeth in any suitable or usual way, but is herein shown as engaged bya projection c from the rocker which carries the pawl c, the said projection having an offset portion 0 forming a shoulder to engage the rear side of the pawl (1. As the rocker is moved in response to the depression of the said space-bar lever F the ofifset portion 0 passes out of engagement with the retaining-pawl d, freeing the ratchet-Wheel, the said retaining-pawl, however, being carried back into engagement and held there as soon as the lever F is released.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the ribbon .is being continually shifted a little at a time with an intermittent movement and at irregular intervals, so that the work will be well distributed throughout the entire surface of the ribbon and not along one or more lines repeatedly. It is to be understood, however, that so far as p relates to the irregular shifting of the ribbon it is not intended to limit the invention to the specific means shown and described for imparting the movement of the space-bar to the ribbon-frame, it being obvious, moreover, that some other part of the machine which operates at irregular intervalsa singledeylever, for example-might be similarly caused to operate the ribbon-frame. Furthermore,- so far as relates to the construction and arrangement of the mechanism by which the movement is transmitted to the ribbonframe it is not intended to limit the invention to the particular instrumentality from which the movement is derived.

I claim- 1. In a type-writing machine, the combination with one only of the several keyboardlevers' which cooperate with the carriage feeding mechanism; of means for laterally shifting the ribbon in response to the operative movement of said keyboard-lever, as set forth.

2. In a type-writing machine, the combination with the ribbon-spools; of mechanism for laterally shifting the said spools; keyboard-levers cooperating with the carriage feed mechanism; and means for connecting the shifting mechanism with one only of the said keyboard-levers, as set forth.

3. The combination with the ribbon-spools and the laterally movable shifting frame therefor; of a step-by-step actuator whereby said frame is moved back and forth intermittingly; the space-bar lever; and means for connecting said actuator with said space-bar lever, as set forth.

4. The combination with the ribbon-spools, of the rock-shaft E adapted by its oscillation to shift the said ribbon-spools; an .arm projecting from said rock shaft; a rotatable member adapted to produce an oscillating movement of said arm; the space-bar; and means for producing a rotary movement of said rotatable member in the same direction each time the space-bar is operated, substantially as described.

5. The combination with the ribbon-spools, of the rock-shaft E adapted by its oscillation to shift the said ribbon-spools; an arm projecting from said rock-shaft; a ratchet-wheel adapted to produce an oscillating movement of said arm; a rocker connected with the space-bar lever; said space-bar lever; and a pawl carried by saidrocker to cooperate with said ratchetwheel, substantially as described.

6. The combination with the rock-shaft E adapted by its oscillation to shift the'ribbonspools; of an arm projecting from said rock shaft; a ratchet-wheel adapted to produce an oscillating movement of said arm; a space- I bar lever; a rocker connected with said spacebar lever; a pawl carried by said rocker to cooperate with said ratchet-wheel; a retain ing-pawl; and a projection from said rocker to engage said retaining-pawl-during the re turn movement of said arm and to carry said pawl into engagement with the ratchet-wheel, substantially as described.

7. The combination with the rock-shaft E; of the arm I) connected therewith and provided with the slot b the ratchet-wheel at having the wrist-pin a projecting through said slot; and the pawl c and its rocker, the space-bar F, and means for connecting the said rocker with said space-bar F, substantially as and for the purpose described.

8. The combination with the ribbon, of a rock-shaft adapted by its oscillation to laterally shift the ribbon; an arm projecting radially from said rock-shaft and provided with a slot, a rotary member provided with a wristpin cocperat-ing with said slot; and means for rotating said member, substantially as described.

9. The combination with the ribbon, of a rock-shaft adapted by its oscillation 'to'latersaid slot; and the pawl c and its rocker, proally shift the ribbon; an arm projecting ravided with the projection 0 means for osdially froin said rock-shaft and provided with cillating said rocker, and the retaining-pawl 15' a slot; a ratchet-wheel provided with a wristd coacting with projection 0 as set forth.

5 pin projecting into said slot; a pawl cooper- In testimony whereof I have signed my ating with said ratchet-wheel; and means for a name to this specification in the presence of reciprocating said pawl, substantially as detwo subscribing witnesses.

scribed.

10. The combination with the rock-shaft JOHN PRICE 10 E; of the arm b connected therewith and pro- Witnesses:

vided with the slot 19 the ratchet-wheel a FRANK A. LEMAL,

havin the wristin a rojectin throu h v HELEN M. SULLIVAN.

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